Punishment is a higher priority than restitution, an Adrian doctor said Thursday in asking that a former employee be locked up for stealing at least $82,500.

A one-year jail term was handed down in Lenawee County Circuit Court to 42-year-old Jennifer Lynn Purdy of Onsted, to be followed by probation and repayment of the embezzled cash.

Purdy pleaded guilty to reduced charges on Jan. 9 and admitted stealing cash during at least six of the 11 years she worked in Dr. Michele Gardner’s medical office. The embezzlement was discovered after she left the office in July last year.

“She came in every day and pretended to be a friend, a good employee and co-worker,” Gardner told the court during a sentencing hearing.

“She killed the complete and utter trust that I put in her. Jennifer did not steal the money from me alone. She stole from every one of my staff members,” Gardner told Judge Margaret M.S. Noe.

Office nurse Amy Yensch described how the entire staff had worked harder in recent years and had gone without pay raises or bonuses as the business struggled financially.

“We were barely staying above the red line,” Yensch said. A nurse who left was not replaced and everyone did extra duty to make up for the loss, she said.

“We’re a family, and to have a member of the family betray us every single day and lie to us every single day is disheartening,” Yensch said.

A restitution order cannot be the only penalty, Gardner told the court. She asked that Purdy serve time in prison or jail before she pays restitution so she will not be tempted to steal from another employer.

“No one is more sorry for this than me,” Purdy said, turning to the audience.

“You guys were a family to me and very good friends to me,” Purdy said. “I’m a good person and I made a very bad choice. I hope some day you will all be able to forgive me.”

Defense attorney James Daly of Adrian said the stress of her marriage breaking up and becoming a single mother affected Purdy’s judgment. The only thing she can do toward making things right is to continue working and paying back the money, Daly said.

“I have a difficult time believing Jennifer Purdy needs prison or incarceration to understand that what she did was wrong,” Daly argued.

Assistant Lenawee County Prosecutor Angela Borders said Purdy had earned incarceration. The theft of money from Gardner’s office was not a one-time event, she said.

“She was involved in criminal conduct for six years, your honor,” Borders said.

Page 2 of 2 - “You had the benefit of a very wonderful, caring, sincere environment,” Noe told Purdy.

“It took a criminal heart to do what you did in the face of the people who surrounded you. I have no confidence you would not do this again,” she said. Allowing her go back to work now would be interpreted “as a license to steal money,” Noe said.

In addition to $82,554.53 restitution, Noe ordered her to pay $1,250 court costs during a five-year probation period after her jail term. She ordered that Purdy not work anywhere that gives her access to another person’s money or an opportunity to embezzle again.